The Abia State Government has claimed that the administrations of former governors Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu settled only 0.01 per cent of gratuities due to workers who retired from the state and local government services between 2011 and 2023.
The figure emerged from a report by a committee set up to examine outstanding gratuity payments in the state. Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu disclosed the findings on Monday in Umuahia while briefing journalists after the weekly Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said the current administration has begun clearing the backlog, starting with retirees who left service between 2001 and 2010.According to the committee, total outstanding gratuity liabilities stand at N61.8 billion.
This breaks down into N7.2 billion accumulated from 2001 to 2010, N43.6 billion incurred between 2011 and May 2023, and a further N10.9 billion from May 2023 to August 2026.“The review also showed that payments made by successive administrations, particularly the administrations of former Governors Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu, covered less than 0.01 per cent of the gratuity owed to retirees who exited the service between 2011 and May 2023,” Kanu stated.
In a separate development, the Abia Government denied allegations that Governor Otti had a hand in the suspension of Professor of Economics Nnamdi Nwaeze from Abia State University, Uturu.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Ferdinand Ekeoma told journalists at Government House, Umuahia, on Monday that the governor was not involved and that the suspension was unrelated to the state government.
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